Elastic bearing for centrifugal machines.



G. P. FOWLER. ELASTIC BBARING'POR GBNTRIFUGAL MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.4, 1911. 1,1 1 1,372, Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

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t i u 40 vertical section taken thi-ohgh'the Center of (10315011 F. FOWLER, OF. OAK PARK, I'LL Iiq OIs, ASSIGN RTO SEARS, BQEBUGK &

COMPANY; drlemeAeo. ILLIN IS, 411 CORPORATION OF YORK! 1 ljems j ilo nee se FOR Gee-wa s; m mma To aZZtuhQm'itmay c oneem citizen of theUIfited "Statesyresidiiig Oak Park, the County offCoqlt ahdStat-e f Illinois,havei verited certaih new "ahd s e 'ThQin ren on relatsto heii ing' for su nietallie springs, which ltho an elastie bearing0 this7genera1 eharaeti i h ai ent of he e" dsr nd the t n In aecompllshment of certaln other; new and ul bje fi hkh l sub q ly at P t-t i nti n ce 'si t .tb of ndir'elty hereina ftez deset'ibed, Sh OWDfiIi the m in ra ing ormil g' a pa of this specificatiohya d pointed out With greater particularity in the appendedclaims In he s id draw h kF 'l ell is pl l Viwp'f my improved beari g." Fig. 2 is a thebearing on the line 2, get Fig. 1 1o 0king in the direction indicated by theatroyvs. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken' through the bearing asindieated 011' 1ine.3,3 of Fig. 2, looking downward. 4 and 5 ai'eadetail vieWs ,'F1g. 4 beinga- View in elevation of the movable bearingblbck oribushi g, while Fig." 5 'is an enlarged perspeetive iew of 'one of the .cy1indri0a1 wat $5."

I p fiqeti i we wentj-Patented Sept. 22, 1914;.

yerid the pefiphei'y of said opening 'intg'c'ohtact'withftll'e flattened portions 13%0n the flattenedportior'is 13 iri the pel 'iphery 0f the bearingfblock do not extend 'e tii'ely t0 h meme he ie e1 perm t e? periphery of the bearing bloek 13. These,

' of, but are terminated some "distance above 13 in the periphery of the'cylindrical portion of the bearing block 13.

Surrounding the upper extremity of the openingin the fixed support 12 is a groove adapted to take the expansion spring 16, which is preferably formed of. a piece of suitable metallic wire bent in circular form,

with its endsfree to be moved toward and from each other. for varying'the size of the be placed in the. groove in vthe member 12 just ZIbOVGxtllQ top of the openings or housring. This circular member 16 is adapted. to

U ings'l5 containing thecylindricalsprings 14,

. and passing over the top of said, springs serves to retain the springs within their housings in the stationary member 12. The

, enlarged peripheral portion or flange l3 on Q the/bearing block 13 limits thedownward bottom thereof, form a'shoulder as indicated,

j the flattened portions 13 bearmg-against the coiled flattened portions 14 on the movement-of the same in. relationto the stationary member 12, but the opening withinthe member 12 being larger than the, eX- treme diameter of the cylindrical portion of the bearing block 13, this bearing block has a limited amount of movement under the .control of the springs 14, which normally tend to center it. The flattened portions 13 on the bearing block terminating short of the at 13f which bearing against the bottom of the coiled or cylindrical springs 14:, tend to hold the bearing normally in positlo-n, and

spring, prevent the bearing block 13 from rotating in relation to the machine frame under the influence, of the spindle.

WVhen it is desired to remove the bearing block l3,"the elastically retaining ring 16 .is first compressed and removed from beneath theperipheral flange surroundingthe 1 top of the opening in the stationary member I 12, after which the bearing block 13 may be movedupwardly carrying the cylindrical springs 14- with it. In assembling, the springs l lare first placed in their housings with the fiat portions 141 in proper relation to the central opening for the bearing block, after which the bearing block 13 may be pressed downwardly into position, the lower extremity of the block preferably being slightly beveled, as indicated at 13*, to have I a wedging action upon the flattened portions of the springs 14:. When the bearing block and the springs are in their normal position the elastic ring 16 being; first comthus securing the pressed, is inserted and allowed to expand,

parts inYtheir normal working positions. f a I 1- For the purpose of supplying lubricant to, the frictional surfaceson the bearing block 13 and the spindle supported. thereby, the block is..prov ided with the-upper peripheral oil groove 13*, from which a suitable duct as indicated at 13 leadsto the bearing surfaces.

For the purpose of utilizing the drip from the'bea'rin and supplying it to. the'usual v gearing below in the frame of the cream separator, around'the central opening in the supporting member 12 the peripheral; groove 12 is formed, from which a suitableduct 12 conveys the lubricanttotlie' parts below in the main frame of the" machinej This latter described lubricating means ,is one of the important features of the: invention, preventingthe waste oflubricant."

It is found that-Ithe 'constructi'onzlis eX-.

ceedingly eflicient,becau'se the bearing block supporting the bowl spindle is normally kept properly centered and becausev of thefact that the extremities ofjjthe'springs 1(lj nor' mally tending to expand are constantly en'- walls of the housings 15,"therejis' sufiicient friction between the sprin'gs'and the bearing I supporting member to preventthe springs gaging with considerable force against the from returning. the bearingtofcenter with v sufiicient force to cause a'rebo-und and conse-t quent chattering or-vvibration of the bearadifliculties sought to be overcome inelastic,"

have. been used. It is also found that vby my 'ing,"which has heretofore' b'een oneof the bearings, particularly where; metalli'c' springs improved bearing as described there' ls no ,7

danger of accident because of the breaking of the springs,'the bearing block 13 being permitted only aylimited amount of lateral movement under spring control, and whena ber 12 will prevent the "displacement of the bearing and the bowlf'spindle beyonda point where danger wouldresult'j should; the bowl be permitted whileunder speed to contact with the bowl casingo-r other parts of the main frame of the machine. The above construction is also easily assembled, and parts required for repairs areflight and easily replaced at small cost; It [will also be Seen that the bearing support is constructed in spring breaks theflinterior wall o-f'tlie'mem- V such a manner that should the. cylindrical springs 14; or. the elastic ring 16 become broken such broken parts will not fall down below the support '12 intot he gearing and driving mechanism in the lower part of the been the cause mechanism. 1

In order that the inventionmight be fully understood the details of the preferred emof {the "destruction o f'fgthis .main frame, which has often heretofore bodiment thereof have been thus specifically described, but itis not desiredto be limited to the exact details of construction herein .shown for it will be apparent that many modifications may be suggested by those skilled in the art without departing from the purpose and spirit of the invention.

v I claim];

1; In an elastic journal bearing,the.com-

bination with a stationary support being provided with an enlarged j ournalopening, of abearing blockmovably mounted in said enlarged formed in said support a plurality of cylinjournal opening, therebeing drical' chambers having their axes approxiing thereinandai exterior surfaceof ap proximately cylindrical form, there being contact with said bearing block.

matel'y parallel with the axis of the said enlarged opening and' lying beyond the periphery of said opening but havingcommumidway between their open ends extending into the said enlarged journal opening into 2. In an elastic journal bearing, the combination with, a stationary support being provided with an enlarged journal opening,

of a bearing block having a journal opena plurality of flat surfaces formed on the exterior of the said bearing block, and a pluralityof coil springs formed from flat pieces of spring metal rolled into cylindrical form and supported in cylindrical ,chambers formed in said stationary support beyond having communication with said opening whereby portions of saidcoil springs extend into said journal opening in contact with the aforesaid flattened portions on the bearopen and having their free endsunderelasin closefcontact with the walls of said cylindrical chambers in the stationarysupport.

3. In'an elastic journal bearing, the com bination with a stationary, support being provided With an enlargedjournal opening, of a bearing block movably" mounted in the said enlarged journal opening, there being formed in said support a plurality of chambers normally lying beyond {the periphery of said journal opening but having communication therewith, elastic larged journalopeningin contact with said bearing block, and means for retaining said elastic means in said chambers comprising an open ended metallic coil secured in'a peripheral groove around the said enlarged journal opening near the top of the stationary support. j j

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses, on this 1st day of March, A. D. 1911.

GORDON F. FOWLER.

' Witnesses f AwL. SPRINKLE,

means comprising coils of spring. metal sup" ported in said chambers and having portions. r of their peripheries extending into said en the periphery of saidjournal opening but 1 i "ing block, said coil springs being formed tic tension of the spring metal in said coils Copies of this patent may be ohteinedjfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. c." 

